The August 2020 ARRL 222 MHz & Up Distance Contest runs from 11 A.M. PDT on Saturday, August 1, 2020 until 11 A.M. PDT on Sunday, August 2, 2020. Contacts made on all frequencies 222 MHz (135cm) and up are permitted. As usual, repeaters may not be utilized.
This contest requires that participants know which 6 digit grid locator they operating from. An easy way to determine your 6 digit grid locator, if you are not operating at your home location, is to load the “Ham Square” app on your cell phone. Another way to determine your current 6 digit grid locator is to utilize this url: https://dxcluster.ha8tks.hu/hamgeocoding/
Unlike other contests, the Rover category is used for anyone who operates from more than 1 location during the event. N6ZE/R probably will operate from DM04ne, DM04jg, and possibly other 6 digit grids.
This contest features Distance Based Contacts: You can work a station more than once, but only can use the contact made over the furthest distance. For example if you are located in Grid DM04ne and work a station in DM04nf and later work the station again when it is located in DM04nh, only the DM04ne to DM04nh contact will be utilized in the entry. Note: contacts from each band utilized are considered separately.
Score is based on Band Factor points per QSO times path distance worked in kilometers. For commonly used bands, Band Factor is 2 for the 135cm (222.1/223.5MHz) band; 1 for the 70cm (432.1/446.0MHz) band; 4 for the 33cm (902MHz) band; and 2 for the 33cm (1296.1/1294.5MHz) band
Note: If N6ZE/R makes 1 Contact on 223.5MHz over a distance of 20 km, the score would be: 2 x 20 = 40
However if N6ZE/R in DM04ne makes a 223.5MHz contact with WA6FXT, who is also located in DM04ne, the score would be 2 x 1 = 2 because contacts within the same 6 digit locator have an arbitrary distance of 1 km applied.
To determine the distance between two 6 digit grid locators, this url works well: https://www.chris.org/cgi-bin/calmdb
Note: The distance is shown in both kilometers and miles.
Please download ARRL’s official contest rules at this url:
http://www.arrl.org/222-mhz-and-up-distance-contest
As I once was taught, ‘the job is not finished until the paperwork is complete.” PLEASE submit an entry to ARRL. The EASIEST way to submit an entry to ARRL is to utilize this url: http://www.b4h.net/cabforms/arrl222up_cab3.php Submitting an entry demonstrates amateur radio utilization of these highly desired frequencies.
Please also send your info to the 3830 Rumored Scores site: https://www.3830scores.com/ so that others can quickly unofficially take note of your achievements.
Questions? Send N6ZE@aol.com an email for possible clarification!
In view of the very hot weather forecast for this weekend, N6ZE plans to operate on the bottom four bands as follows:
From a hilltop within Thousand Oaks from about 11 AM – Noon on Saturday.
From a hilltop within Thousand Oaks from about 7 PM to 9 PM on Saturday
From a Santa Monica Mountains location from 8 AM – 11 AM on Sunday.
I shall attempt to occasionally monitor N6JMI/rpt 147.885MHz in Thousand Oaks for liaison.
Pete Heins-N6ZE
Good luck to all!